G4 Powerbook Monitor Periodically Blacks Out

E

ElPerroLoco

Registered
HI,

I recently acquired a g4 pb (15" Aluminum 100GHz) from a friend. I know nothing about Mac software/hardware having grown up with IBM stuff.

The problem I am having is my monitor periodically goes black. This sometimes happens after I move the unit. Sometimes I just try to boot to the same problem. I can hear the system starting up (music, fans, hd starting), but the monitor stays black. If I leave it long enough, it will even sleep (I can tell because of the little white breathing light.)

As I am a completely Mac-challenged, I don't know where to start - is it hardware? Software? Voodoo? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks very much

EPL
 
So it's not that the monitor is blacking out because of the Energy Saver options, but just randomly from moving the screen or whatnot?

I've seen this happen on some PC laptops as well. It seems as though maybe the contacts for the backlight on the screen might be giving out. You may have to send it to an Apple service center for repair.

Post back on your results.
 
Hi Nix,

That's what I was thinking, too, but I finally bit the bullet, reinstalled everything, updated the os, disabled the energy saver stuff, and now things seem to be wokring alright. I can put it to sleep manually and wake it up (even for ten hours or more), and it shut it down and boot it. So far I haven't seen those screen fluxuations.

So far so good. I will contact you if there is any change. Thanks again for the reply

shawn
 
Please let us know what happens. I may give that a try myself. I am having the same issue with an iBook Dual USB 500mhz G3. I was under the impression that my video cable was going bad.
 
When we last checked in, the g4 pb was working well after:

1) a pram zap,
2) a complete reinstall of osx, updates and application software
3) Disabling all power management

For the last week and a half, I have been able to put the system to sleep manually, and bring it back, turn it on and off, carrying it from home to work etc. (I mention the travel only because initially moving the g4 around seemed to precipitate a dark screen period).

Last night, however, I was unable to bring it back from sleep, but was able to soft boot it to life. I noted that I had horizontal monitor fluxuations during the first soft boot, and upon adjusting the monitor, was frozen out of the system. The second soft boot let me in, however, and all was well. I don't know if this is the beginning of the end, and I cannot for the life of me think what I might have done differently for it to start getting wonky after nearly ten days of perfect service. This weekend I will run the Disc Utilities program (For the first time) and keep you posted.

S
 
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